"I AM"- are the two most powerful words in the dictionary because the ending determines your destiny….so join me in my fight against PD to make sure that everyone who suffers from this chronic progressive degenerative disease can develop the courage to shout to the wind- I AM Fierce and Courageous ….

Anger in Parkinson’s Disease? myth, reality or cop- out? By Dr. De Leon

” Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which is stored than to that into which is poured…”

I thought I would write today about a very sensitive topic for all of us especially for me as of late. it seems that my docile, kind, friendly disposition has been taken over by a “she- Tasmanian devil” I am ashamed to say. As I try to patch and mend the path of wrath I have left in the wake of my anger outbursts this week, I am doing a lot of soul searching as to the cause of this sudden behavior. Surely, I have always been high strong ( and head strong) and known to get heated a time of two but lately it seems this is the norm rather than the exception. Of course I recall since the onset of my illness the increase proneness to irritability which improved and settled with starting treatment and as my disease has progressed I notice increased bouts of irritability with tapering levels of medication right before the next one is due. So is this a biochemical manifestation possibly. However, what I am talking about here is right out uncontrolled anger outburst set off by the mildest of provocations or difficult situations.

Anger is a real thing in those of us with neurological disease and merits proper attention and treatment!

As a Parkinson expert I know that men are more likely to behavioral outburst and anger which often were attributed to poor boundaries or coping skills or even onset of dementia. However, looking at my own situation I am neither unhappy, lack boundaries, nor am I getting demented yet; I feel at times as if my anger button is suddenly pushed by an invisible fiend -perhaps more prayer is required but what if medication is contributing to these outbursts? I know I should not be bad the situation does not call for such exaggerated response of fight or flight yet, I am like an evil queen ready to defend her throne to the death! perhaps it has to do with the amount of epinephrine in our bodies or perhaps more likely the disruption of the brainstem-basal ganglia pathways involving serotonin and dopamine. for you see, the metabolism, synthesis and uptake of both dopamine and serotonin are intertwined. Both neurotransmitters are both metabolized by MAO enzymes. Also they sometimes compete for this enzyme. thus, when we create a dysregulation by blocking one or taking more of one than another we are disrupting this fine balance.

After all we take gobs of dopamine and block its degradation in every fashion and form so it must follow its normal path of synthesis- ultimately leading to excess epinephrine and disruption of serotonin, dopamine connections. we are learning that mood disorders are very complex and require treatment with various monoamines because dopamine is just as important as serotonin. Although low levels of serotonin are the ones implicated in “anger outburst.” These anger outburst seem to be correlated with higher intake of dopamine since I have been writing I need extra dopamine. (losing hours of manuscript did not help situation, I might add). The consequences and side effects however, could be too high a price to pay to be able to function mentally for a few hours. I don’t like myself and feel bad when I get mad but seems I don’t have power to stop is like a horse once release from its standing place in a race it must run its course no matter how hard I try to stop. These feelings if untreated can potentially cause a vicious down fall with feelings of remorse and shame leading to depression thus increasing likelihood of anger. I knew that my brain was out of sorts and have increased my serotonin producing meds and I have felt normal again.

I have read several blogs and post of people experiencing this same phenomena, which I believe in the past as caregivers and health providers have been too quick to dismiss. I know that dealing with dementia patients this is a common problem even in their lucid states. So, perhaps the microscopic and macroscopic changes occurring in our brains are sufficient enough to disinhibit us especially since part of our primitive brains (entorhinal cortex- including the limbic system, amygdala) involved in emotion are at the core of this disease. I don’t believe that we are angry because we have an illness although, there may be a few out there who could fit into this category. I, for one, have fully embraced my Parkinson’s and have thoroughly enjoyed making a new life. Thus, this theory does not make sense plus this is a sudden uncontrolled behavior. These events have made me recall my own patients, of course all those whom I could conjure up having similar outburst of anger were all men.

This fact however, does not preclude us women from experiencing similar phenomena. I myself was attacked by a PD patient when he suddenly became angry at my medical recommendations. He went from a docile sweet gentlemen to a fierce tiger in less than a second a similar thing happened to a friend who actually suffered grave bodily injuries as a result of such unprovoked attack. Then there is the saddest story of all, one who actually shot his wife in a moment of rage which immediately regretted and was attributed to medications. This is because we are seriously disrupting this system- many speculate that this disruption is the cause for schizophrenia not just excess dopamine (which in effect is what we are producing in our bodies by replacing massive quantities of dopamine without considering other chemical imbalances caused by this). This disruption in brainstem basal ganglia as a cause of psychosis and out burst of anger are supported by new treatment of PD psychosis with drug Nuplazid (pimavanserin) which acts on the serotonergic system.

I want all my readers to realize that this is a neurological problem that stems from unbalanced chemicals in brain due to both illness and unfortunately to medication effect. As I have often said, the brain is not only a complex intricate organism but is in constant balance and altering one chemical will have many repercussions because of its intricate connections. Thus we can’t simply disregard these and act in a vacuum when treating the many symptoms of Parkinson’s and must always think of what could possibly be affected to try to maintain order. Most common causes of explosive anger is brain injury (trauma, stroke, tumors, encephalitis) or neurological neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, etc.

I know that this is particularly a HUGE problem with those who have end-stage PD especially those with dementia.

Symptoms of Anger /rage outbursts: out of proportion to situation!!!

Things to watch out for preceding aggression:

irritability

increased energy

racing thoughts palpitations

chest tightness

mad

increased tremors

tingling

(myself the night before or day of episodes felt almost manic, irritable upon awakening, out of sorts, with increased heightened awareness and energy and racing thoughts)

of course if you have any of these is a sign YOU are out of control and NEED HELP ASAP! if reason has left the building and consequences don’t matter….

physical fights

property damage

threatening or assaulting people/animals

Recommendations: Being aware there is a problem is the first step to healing

Get neuropsychological evaluation to rule out depression and underlying dementia

adjustment of Parkinson’s medication

Treatment with SSri’s ( purely serotonin) or preferably compound drugs like those which have SSri’s and NRi’s ( serotonin plus norepinephrine) like Cymbalta and venlafaxine (Effexor).

anticonvulsants like Tegretol, Lamictal, etc.

antipsychotics in some cases or Nuplazid if dementia present.

Counseling individual and family

(treatments if persistent behavior should be in tandem with psychotherapy and family therapy)

work on relaxation techniques- since all of us with PD and other chronic neurological disease have trouble dealing with multiple stressors at a time and get easily overwhelmed and flustered- do as I am attempting to do- cognitive restructuring- train my brain not to get excited in face of critical situations just like when I was a doctor in practice -YOU got THIS! if you lived as long as I have I am pretty sure you have gone through some very harry situations and come out ahead – use that imagery to handle these stressors.

propranalol- sometimes can be used to help with symptoms ( the fact this works shows that there is an increased epinephrine component to anger outbursts).

I should try practicing what I preached a thousand times as a neurologist- when we avoid acting on impulse we are actually rewiring our brains to be calmer and more loving!

Recommendations for caregivers:

do not confront in moments of rage especially if someone demented – because you might incur injury to yourself or loved one.

if destroying property or hurting self call 911- explain they have an illness and need medical care/ call their doctor ASAP

wait till calm to confront and discuss situation if not demented and get treatment – if demented and cant reason get treatment asap as well.

be supportive-

jot down triggers- alcohol a BIG trigger, lack of sleep etc.

what helps to calm them down

create an escape plan

keep all firearms locked away/hidden/safe

call domestic hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

confide in friends to help in emergency and have a code word or visual sign which means call police

Sources:

Serotonin involvement in the basal ganglia pathophysiology: could the 5-HT2C receptor be a new target for therapeutic strategies? Curr Med Chem. 2006;13(25):3069-81.

8 thoughts on “Anger in Parkinson’s Disease? myth, reality or cop- out? By Dr. De Leon”

This post pulls no punches, Dr. Maria! And I am grateful for your considerable candor – we NEED to know! With care-givers suffering pretty much the same anger at times, we don’t have the excuse of chemical warfare, but we do it nonetheless! This is why the public have to know this, the healthcare have to understand this, our own families have to understand.
Bravo, wonderful woman; especially as you lost your draft…..ooh, that hurts!

This is happening to me, too. Started Rytary March 22. I am having manic-panic. Manic being I stayed up all night writing, knew I should go to sleep but the works kept coming and I kept writing. Or a surge of cleaning energy. Also had very had wearing off depression first few months on Rytary. Last week had trouble breathing and could only speak softly on exhale. After talking to my sister and her husband (nurse/physician), they told me to call my MDS. On Call MDS said to call 911 and Get to ER.

Panic attack. All tests and vitals normal. Took at fair amount of IV Ativan to breath normally. Did some research and talked to Rytary friends. Many reports of ER visits for panic with Rytary. One young friend with PD hated Rytary. A newlywed, said made her so angry she thought she would see her 2nd anniversary.

Saw my MDS, who is weaning me off Amantadine. Suspects it is hyping me up. Tomorrow I’m done with Amantadine.

My movement is more fluid, my thoughts are clear, my communication is easy on Rytary. i hate to go back on. Sinemet. We have not discussed that as an option. I had been asking my MDS to go on an antidepressant. Wellbutrin not an option. Had a big problem with that.

Was a to start Celexa, which my MDS prescribed, then said to hold off as SSRI’s can make mood swings worse. For now he said to double up on clonazepam at bedtime. I have lorazepam if i need it in emergencies. Trying to fine a neuropsychopharmacologist who sees new patients. hard to find.

I feel more level without the Amantadine, but i think this is Rytary. I called the company and filed my side effect info. They are hearing a lot about anxiety and Rytary.

I’m taking 3-145mg 4x a day, every 5 hours

Rytary has been tough to adjust too. At first waves of anxiety, nausea (like pregnancy feeling), utter fatigues, moments of desperate depression, now “hypo mania” and panic attacks with difficulty breathing.

So many others saying same experience…i don’t know if it’s stage of disease, drugs, but I was a okay with losing control of my body, but not okay with losing my mind or control over my mood.

Keep posting, and thanks for all you do. Until there’s a cure, there’s a community.

Thank you for sharing your .story…I really believe is combinarion of medications ..because I started noticing this when I upped my amantadine along with rytary …definitely recommend taking antidepressant something like lexapro or Effexor, cymbalta …I also find hat rytary works best taking one tab then 3-4 hours later a second tablet …so you don’t get such. A big surge …I think that for those who are you n countries who have new comt inhibitor ( opegentys) should take along with rytary to even out and decrease those surges. Best of luck and hope feel better…but I strongly suggest getting antidepressant and evening out dopa with mao inhibitor or neupro don’t experience wearing off anxiety. Thank you again ..keep me posted on symptoms

Thank you, Dr Maria, for this really informative blog. I am new to this as my husband has only just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and refuses to accept the diagnosis so his neurologist has referred him to a colleague for a second opinion. If only a diagnosis of this dreadful disease could be more definitive at an earlier stage……….that’s our biggest problem with it at the moment but I suspect there will be many more problems once my husband starts taking the medication. He has become very angry at the situation at times, my lovely, phlegmatic, laid-back, kind husband is so angry at the moment, with the doctor who referred him to the neurologist, with the neurologist and with me, at times, if I appear to agree with them that he has Parkinson’s. Sadly, his son and brother seem rather disinterested, illness is a nuisance to them, they don’t have time for it which leaves just me to care for him really which I do willingly.

Thank you again for this illuminating blog and also to the people who have responded. It’s a minefield and I know so little about it but will continue to read up on it.

maureen, my heart goes out to you. arm yourself with love and patience and gather your support team to lift you and him up …the irritability is unfortunately part of the illness- i too have had those struggles but fortunately with treatment with levodopa that improves also may need an antidepressant- best of luck and feel free to reach out any time.God bless